I thought I'd share a bit of culture for a change.
My sister has been trying to find recordings of 'pwnc' so I had search for info and found these. I had to do loads of wading as 'pwnc' seem to mean topic/subject and apparently also means riddle....
When I spoke to my sister earlier she had some 'pwnc' in the background. it sounds very strange - almost African, but it's the Bible in Welsh!
If anyone knows of any recordings or where and how to find some I'd be interested. There seems to be one recording only that featured in a documentary some years back.

Baptist chapel's Bible singing

Mar 11 2006

Western Mail

A FORM of religious chanting, pwnc, is to return to a historic Welsh church as it prepares to uphold a tradition that dates back before Henry VIII's time.

When Wales was a Catholic nation, congregations used to sing verses from the Bible instead of reading them. This form of chanting was called "pwnc" but very few Non-Conformist chapels sing the pwnc these days, preferring instead to recite the Bible passages.

On Sunday, June 4, the members of Rhydwilym Baptist Chapel in Llandissilio, Pembrokeshire, will be celebrating the ancient tradition.

The chapel was established in 1668 and is situated on a bank of the Eastern Cleddau River.

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/yourwales/history/tm_objectid=16801394&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=baptist-chapel-s-bible-singing-name_page.html

In West Wales there was a special festival at Whitsun – this was known as “Y Pwnc”. Each Chapel would be given a prescribed section of the Bible, which they would learn and discuss, so that they could answer questions on it. On Whit Monday, they would congregate in the largest chapel and the proceedings would begin. The text was chanted in a high-pitched monotone, the more soprano voices the better, and to anyone not brought up in this custom – it sounded hilarious. As a child, I found that a strategic hankie held close to the mouth helped to stifle my giggles.

http://www.angelfire.com/folk/gorseinon/stories/chapel.htm

Twm Carnabwth

A colourful character, his behaviour ranged from being devoutly religious to being outrageous. He was a regular reciter of the ‘pwnc’ but was also known as a prize fighter in fairs throughout the counties of Pembrokeshire, Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire. He is buried in the graveyard of the Baptist Chapel, in Mynachlog-ddu.

http://www.brobeca.co.uk/Rebecca.html

Opening with a beautiful Llio Rydderch triple harp solo, the 71-minute CD then moves to a contemporary folk tune by Dylan Fowler and Julie Murphy that intertwines folk, pop and rock elements in a potent blend. Rag Foundation's "Mynd I Rymney" is next, with Stephen Fearing-like vocals backed by a driving pipe sound.

Other highlights, and there are many, include the archive recordings of singer John Thomas and another of chapel-goers in a chant called "Canu Pwnc," John Morgan on concertina and a recording of the ballad "Breuddwyd" by the legendary folk-rocker Meic Stevens. They also include "Fi Wela" by new group Fernhill, Kilbride's reel "Tom Edwards" and a harp-based song from Pigyn Clust (Loreena McKennitt sound-alikes). There is great quality and surprising variety here. It's exciting to know Wales has so many vibrant folk artists.

http://www.rambles.net/rough_wales00.html